The defensive structure that won Gotham the 2025 NWSL Championship – Equalizer Soccer

Photo Credit: Patricia Giobetti | The Equalizer

Another exhilarating National Women’s Soccer League season came to an end with a playoff final between two of the league’s most exciting teams. Ultimately, it was NJ/NY Gotham FC that prevailed over Washington Spirit with a game-winning goal from Rose Lavelle. Though the goal directly won them the game, it was Gotham’s out-of-possession work that made the difference.

As the scoreline suggests, the match was a tightly controlled, tactically disciplined final. Both head coaches, Juan Carlos Amorós and Adrian González, set up their teams to press high and attack in transition. But Gotham employed a different defensive organisation that gave them the decisive edge.

Amorós made two key changes to his Gotham side: Winger Gabi Portilho and fullback Bruninha dropped out of the starting lineup, replaced by Sarah Schupansky in midfield and Mandy Freeman at right-back. This pushed Jaedyn Shaw into a wide role and freed Lavelle to operate as a more fluid No. 10.

Meanwhile, the Spirit continued with the same team that had served them well, with Trinity Rodman continuing with her substitute role as she recovers from injury. It is also worth noting that Hal Hershfelt was tasked with anchoring the midfield and, importantly, covering the dangerous Lavelle.

Amorós moved away from his more typical setup to counter Washington’s creative and strong midfield trio of Croix Bethune, Leicy Santos and Hershfelt. In possession, the Gotham head coach typically played his team in a 4-3-3, using his two No. 10s to push forward into the channels with the full-backs providing width and support to two narrower wingers. In the final, he used Midge Purce and Shaw to play in the wide areas, as well as drop into the box and overload the ball side. The idea was to switch play —  to get the ball over to the underloaded side and look for the opposite winger or No. 10 to score from the back post.